Control valve for automobile lifts



into operation sheet ejection controls. Instead of single sheets, acontinuous form may be used, and then the ejection controls are arrangedto carry the strip from form to form with differential movementscalculated to bring the first heading line or the first item line inposition after an ejection operation.

The mechanism used is disclosed in greater detail in Patent 2,189,025,but the operating controls are fully disclosed herein.

Turning to Fig. a, it is seen that a line space control relay R1 isconnected by a wire I 32I to cam contacts CF4. when calling for linespacing in conjunction with a function such as printing. a circuit ispartly established and at the proper time the cam contacts close to sendan impulse through the line space control relay. The relay then operatesto close contacts R111 and a holding circuit is established from line II84, through wire I323, cam contacts CR6, contacts Rla, relay R1 andline I I85. The relay then acts to make effective the line space clutchin the automatic platen spacing unit to advance the record sheet oneline space.

A switch TS may be closed in series with relay R1. Then, a circuit isdirected therethrough as an incident to each card feed operation. Thecircuit follows a path through line H84, switch TS, lower card leverrelay contacts R312, wire i324, cam contacts CF4, wires I325 and l32l,relay R1, and line H85. During heading card control, switch bar contacts398 are closed in shunt with the card lever contacts, so that a sheetspacing operation accompanies the recording of each line of headinginformation.

Whenever the line space control relay is energized, it operatesassociated contacts R1b (Fig. 20a) arranged in series with the linespace control magnet LSM. The circuit for the magnet includes line H84,cam contacts CR1, wire I 330, relay contacts R1b, wire l33i, magnet LSMand line H85.

Ejection controls (Fig. 20b) in the form of contacts 269$ (foundidentified as contacts 259 in Patent 2,189,025) are normally open butconnected in series with the eject magnet EM and the cam contacts CRHthrough wires I321, I328 and I329. This control of ejection is calledinto operation whenever the end of a sheet or the end of a form isreached, the position of which is predetermined by settable controls inthe automatic carriage unit as fully described in the patent mentioned.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out thefundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a singlemodification it will be understood that various omissions andsubstitutions and changes in the form and details of the deviceillustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the artwithout departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention,therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the followingclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine controlled by groups of records with each groupcomprising one or more heading records and a plurality of item records,said heading records bearing a special indicium and indiciarepresentations of a plurality of fields of alphabetic and numericalinformation, said heading records being placed in the front of relatedgroups to precede each other and related item records, a record hopper,means for issuing the records successively out Of the hopper, aplurality of re'cord sensing stations each with indicia sensing devices,said stations being spaced along the path of said records to beencountered firstly, secondly, etc., means for initially sensing saidspecial indicium on the appearance of a heading record, a printingmechanism, switching means for selectively connecting one after anotherof said sensing devices to said printing mechanism, means under controlof said sensing devices for operating said printing mechanism, means forfeeding each record successively through one after another of saidsensing stations, 5. main driving mechanism, said feeding meansincluding clutching devices between a portion of said feeding means anddriving mechanism for selectively feeding the records past the firstsensing station, clutch control means for controlling said clutchingdevices to normally efiect feeding, and means under control of saidspecial indicium sensing means for operating said print switchingdevices to print under control of sensing devices at suecessive stationsand also operating said clutch control means for controlling saidclutching devices to disable feeding of a following heading or itemrecord while printing multiple lin s under control of the fields ofindicia of a preceding heading record, whereby said printing mechanismis operated a plurality of times under control of each heading record.

2. In a machine controlled by groups of records with ea h groupcomprising an address record and a plurality of item records, saidaddress record bearing a special indicium and indicia representations ofa plurality of fields of name, street. city and state information, saidaddress records being placed in the front of related groups to precederelated item records, a record hopper, means for issuing the recordssuccessively out of the hopper, a plurality of record sensing stationseach with indicia sensing devices, said stations being spaced along thepath of said records to be encountered firstly, secondly, etc., meansfor initially sensing. said special indicium on the appearance of anaddress record, a printing mechanism, switching means for selectivelyconnecting one after another of said sensing devices to said printingmechanism, means under control of said sensing devices for operatingsaid printing mechanism, means for feeding each record successivelythrough one after another of said sensing stations, a main drivingmechanism, said feeding means including clutching devices between aportion of said feeding means and driving mechanism for selectivelyfeeding the records past the first sensing station, clutch control meansfor controlling said clutching devices to normally eifect feeding, andmeans under control of said special indicium sensing means for operatingsaid print switching devices to print under control of sensing devicesat successive stations and also operating said clutch control means forcontrolling said clutching devices to disable feeding of a followingitem record while printing multiple lines under control of the fields ofindicia of a preceding address record, whereby said printing mechanismis operated a plurality of times under control of each address record.

3. In a machine controlled by groups of records with each groupcomprising a plurality of address records and a plurality of itemrecords, said address records bearing a special indicium and indiciarepresentations of a plurality of fields of alphabetic and numericalinformation, said ad-- dress records being placed in the front ofrelated groups to precede each other and related item records, a recordhopper, means for issuing the Jan. 1, 1952 J. D. coca-1m 2,580,731

CONTROL VALVE FOR AUTOMOBILE LIFTS Filed March 8, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2Jan. 1, 1952 J. D. COCHIN 2,580,731

CONTROL VALVE FOR AUTOMOBILE LIFTS Filed March 8, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet .3

I f 40 6'9 Z6, 81 57 r 2a 40 :Z g3 62 6% I e/ /NVENTOR Y JOHN D. COGHl/V4274 A TTOE/VEY.

Patented Jan. 1, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTROL VALVE FORAUTOMOBILE LIFTS JohnDQCoch'in,SaniFi-ancisco, Calif. 7

Application March 8, 1947, Serial No. 733,329,

I 3 Claims. (01. 211-21) This invention relates to an improved dual 4control valve and especially to a dual control valve of a typeparticularly suited to be used in conjunction with hydraulic automobilelifts adapted for installation in service stations and garages.

The object of my invention is to improve generally the structure andfunction of devices of the character disclosed in my UnitedStates-Letters Patent No. 1,764,004, dated June 17, 1930, and reissuedas No. 19,239, for Valve for Lifting Devices, by providing a novelarrangement of spiral springs which may allow an increased flow offluids under pressure through the several valves than was heretoforepossible, while at the same time providing means whereby the operatinghandle is more rapidly returned to its normal inoperative position whenmanually released. 7

. .Another object of my invention is to provide novel means whereby thevertical alignment of pressure may be utilized to enable minor shifts inelevating the lift after the said lift has reached substantially theheight desired. Utilization in this manner of compressed air retainedinthe tank, which ordinarily serves no purpose, is desirable in that itconserves the power output requirementof the compressor and minimizesthe necessity for continuously subjecting the storage tank to suddenhigh pressures which will occur whenever air from the compressor isintroduce into the tank. g

A further object is to increase the actuating speed of the heretoforesometimes sluggish operation of the several valves contained inthe'valve;

mechanism, as well as to provide a-necessarily .tighter seating aroundthe air valves than required for the oil valves, by employing valvesprings of varying tensions.

- Other objects of this invention will become ap-.,

parent upon examination of the followingspecification and reference tothe accompanying drawings in which similar characters of referencerepresent corresponding parts in eachof the several viewsvalve from thedirection of the Referring to the drawings:

Fig. '1 shows a liquid storage tank and the controlvalve with fluidconnections leading to a hydraulic lift illustrated in a verticalsectional view.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the control valve.

Fig. '3 is a side elevational view of the control indicating arrow IIIinFig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view, taken on line 4-4 of Fig.2. a 1 I Fig.- 5 isasectional view, taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2. r V

Fig. 6 is a sectional view, taken on line 66 of Fig. .2. 1 H

Fig.7 is asectional view,-taken on' linel 'i ofFig.3.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view of a modification v of the valve controlarms adapted to actuate an air and oil valve.

One type of conventional ployed in raising and lowering motor vehiclesand the like to facilitate repair or service thereof comprises meanswhereby gaseous matter, usually air,

is introduced under pressure-into a storage-tank containing a heavyliquid, usually oil, thereby forcing the liquid through conduits into avertically disposed cylinder containing a vertically movable ram. Theliquid under pressure is pre- .30 from the compressor, in order that theoil under vented from escaping from the cylinder by means of packinginserted between the ram and the cylinder. The ram, which mounts a loadrack, is caused to be elevated by the liquid under pres- To lower theram, means are provided whereby the compressed air is released from theliquid tank. The weight of the-ram, acting'downwardly upon the oil inthecylinder, is sufficient to force the oil out of the cylinder, backthrough the conduits, and into the liquid storage tank.

Fig. 1 illustrates a cylindrical casing 2, in which is movably mounted avertically disposed ram 3, carrying an attached rack 4. Suitable packing5 is inserted between-the ram 3 and easing 2 to prevent leakage ofliquid under pressure which is carried from the valve assembly,generally indicated at 6,through conduit 7, and introduced into casing2, through port 8. A liquid conduit 9, adapted to carry oil, leads fromstorage tank II to the valve'mechanism. A relief valve [2 is connectedto air conduit l3, which is in flow communication with tank H and valveassembly 6. Valve assembly 6 is also. connected to a conduit I0 adaptedto carry compressed air from anair compressor (not shown) to the valvemechanism. The valve mechanism 6 comprisesa case hydraulic lift em-" 3ing I5, having threaded apertures I6, I1, I8 and I9 for connection toconduits 1, 9, I3 and Ill, respectively. Another aperture 29 is providedin the casing to receive a vent conduit (not shown) leading toatmosphere.

The casing I5 is divided into two principal sections and D by apartition 25. Section C may be termed the oil section and section D maybe termed the air section. A partition 26in section D extendshorizontally and vertically from the end of the casing I adjacent to theaperture I8 to the bottom of the said casing I5 to form an air chamber21. A partition 28 in section D en'- tends horizontally and verticallyfrom the end of the said casing I5 opposite to aperture I8 to the top ofthe said casing I5 to form an air chamber 29. A connecting chamber 3|enables fluid communication between air chamber 21 and air chamber 29,through air valves, generally indicated at 51 and 59. The saidconnecting chamber 3I is in direct fluid communication with the apertureI8. Air chamber 21 is also in direct fluid communication with apertureI9. Air cha'm-' ber 29 is in direct fluid communication with ventaperture 26.

Oil section C is provided with a horizontally disposed partition 33 toform an oil connecting chamber 34. The oil ,section C is also providedwith a vertical sub-partition 35 to form lower oil chambers 36 and 31.The connecting chamber 34 is not in fluid communication with either ofthe apertures I6 and I1 except through the medium of oil valves,generally indicated at 61 and 69. Oil chamber 31 is in direct fluidcommunication with aperture I6, while on chamber 36 is in direct fluidcommunication with aperture I1.

Formed in the bottom of easing I5, are four apertures, into which areremovably screwed hollow caps 4 I, each provided with a hollow, tubular,vertically disposed guide support 42 to receive slidably the bottom endsof the valve stems of the several valves 51, 59, 61 and 69. V

In the oil section C valve seats 39 are formed in the horizontalpartition 33 in vertical alignment with the supports '42 while similarvalve seats 40 are formed in the horizontal portions of partitions 26and 28 in section B in vertical alignment with the supports '42 disposedtherebelow.

The top of the casing I5 is'for'me'd with a plurality of upwardlyprojecting, hollow bosses 5| in vertical alignment with the valve seatsand supports 42 lying therebelow. The valves 51, 59, 61 and 69 areidentical in structure with the exception that the air valves 51 and 59are-provided, preferably, with stronger spring bias closure means than011 valves '61 and '69, as will hereinafter appear. Each valve 51,59, 61and 69 comprises a valve stem 6|, the bottom end of which is disposedslidably in a support 42. A valve head 62 is carried by each valve stem6| to seat in a respective valve seat 30 or '40, depending upon whetherthe valve is located in section C or in section D. Arrangedcircumferentially of each valve stem is a coil spring adapted to biasthe valve head into closed position.- The air valve springs are ofnormally greater tension than the oil valve springs and will bedesignated by the indicia 64 whilst the preferably smaller oil valvesprings will be designated as '64. The springs 64 and 64 abut againstthe bottom of caps M and the bottom of valve head 62 for the purposesindicated, to bias the valve heads 'to closed position.

Each of the hollow bosses 5I is provided with a tubular insert I2, whichis threadably engaged with the said hollow bosses interiorly thereof andis provided with an inner annular flange portion 13 which slidablyengages a pin 14, arranged concentrically within the said insert 12 andprojecting into the sections C and D and is provided with an annularshoulder terminus 15, adapted to seat againstthe top of the casing I5.Each pin 14 is provided with a bore, as at 16, in vertical alignmentwith a respective valve stem disposed therebelow. The several valvestems 6I "project upwardly from their respective valve heads in the formof valve stem extensions 8I of reduced diameter, passing through oilchambers 34 andchambers 29 and 3I as a further factor to preventimpeding flow of fluids thererou Tlie extensions 8I are slidablyreceived in the bored portions 16 of bins 14. The pins 14 extendupwardly above bosses 5I and tubular inserts 12 and each pin is providedwith a head 82'. A coil spring 83 is provided circumferentially 'of eachof the pins 14 within the tubular insert 12 to abut against the flange13 thereof and the bottom of the head 82 to bias the said pin upwardly,

The top of the casing I5 is provided with a pair of vertically disposed,spaced 'ears '9I, upon which is pivotally mounted a control handle, gen-'erally indicated at 92, which is provided witha plurality of actuatingarms 93, 94-, 9'5 and '96 adapted to overlie the heads 82 of the several'oil and air actuating pins 14. I prefer to provide means whereby thevalve, adapted to open oil communication between the storage tank andram, may be actuated without simultaneously actuating the valve adaptedto supply air under pressure to the storage tank. For this reason Iprefer to enlarge the actuating arm 96, overlying the valve 61, adaptedto control flow of oil from tank to ram in order that an operator mayrock the handle 92 through a limited arc to depress the valve actuatingpin 14 overlying the said valve 61 without causing actuating arm 93 todepress valve 51 to open air communication from compressor to tank.

Thus, after the storage tank has once been charged with compressed air,an operator may cause elevation of the ram by rocking the handle througha limited arc to open valve 61 to allow the oil, under pressure,contained in the tank to pass therefrom through the valve mechanism tothe ram without simultaneously opening communication from air compressorto the tank. The operator, obviously, may rock the handle further inorder to open both the valve 61 and the valve 51, which controls flow ofair, under pressure, from source to tank, if it is desired.

I have found that by enabling "an operator to cause elevation of the ramwithout drawing on the air pressure source it results in increasedeconomy, particularly as it conserves the air source reservoir which inturn results in saving wear on the operating parts of the air pressuregenerating unit.

Obviously, variations may be practiced to enable an operator to open 611communication from tank to ram without simultaneously openingcommunication from air pressure source to tank. For example, in Fig. 8there is a modification and wherein actuating arm IUI overlying theactuating pin 14, adapted control air source valve 51, is recessed orcut away Whereas valve actuating arm I02 overlying the actuating p'i'nH, adapted to control oil valve .61,is,not cut away or recessed. Hencean operator may rock the handle through a limited arcto open said valve61 without simultaneously opening valve 5'1, if he so desires.

cation from air compressor (through conduitflll) to the valve mechanism6, and from the valve mechanism, through valve 51, to the tank llthrough conduit 13, simultaneously allowing all to flow from tank ll,through conduit 9 and valve 61 to open valve 69 and pass to ram throughconduit 1.

When it is desired to lower the lift and attached load rack, the handleis rocked in the opposite direction to open the air valve 59 to enablethe escape of air contained in the tank ll through opening 20, and anescape conduit (not shown) threadably secured to opening 20, andsimultaneously to open the oil valve 69 to enable oil to return to thestorage tank from the casing ram, through the valve mechanism and oilvalve 61. It is seen that the pressure of oil returning from the ramcasing through the conduit 1, particularly when no load is carried bythe rack, may be little relative to oil pressure developed whilelowering the ram with a load. Consequently, the valve seat 62 of oilvalve 61 must be able to open under slight pressure to insure quick andeificient operation.

In the present invention the flow of oil is not impeded in progressthrough the valve mechanism by springs located in connecting chamber 34.Further, in the present structure the springs 64 adapted to urge oilvalve heads 62 to closed position, may be, and preferably are, light instructure so that oil pressure thereupon can open the same to facilitatefunctioning of the valve mechanism. Again, the spring means to causereturn of the pins 14 and heads 82 thereof and in turn handle control 92to inoperative position are located above the casing 15 and out of thepath of flow of oil and air and may, therefore, be of any desiredstrength and bulk without obstructing the flow of fluid through thevalve mechanism.

Again, the arrangement of the valve stems 6| and stem extensions 8|insures proper vertical alignment of the said stems when operating underpressure of flow of fluids or because of external forces of operation,such as manual movement of the handle 92 or the like. The valve stems 6|are disposed to slide vertically within bottom supports 42. Theextensions 8| of said stems slide in bores 16 of pins 14, which arearranged in vertical alignment with the said bottom guides 42. Hencedistortion from the vertical of valve stems, a previous inherentdifficulty in the present type of valve mechanism, is obviated by thepresent novel structure by slideways disposed top and bottom of thevalve heads.

It is further reiterated that a means is provided whereby the oilcommunication from pressure source to ram may be controlledindependently of the corresponding air flow valve from air pressuresource to oil tank by a single operating lever, as hereinbeforedescribed. The desirability of providing means to control the flow ofoil from tank to ram without admitting air from a pressure source to thetank is important in the instant type of valve mechanism adapted tocqntrol automobile pass irorn compressor to tank at greater, velocity uand greater. volume than the oilpasses iromthe tank to the ram, and,cons equently, pressures may be developedwit-hin the tank in excess' ofthat necessary to cause elevation of the ram and load. By providingmeans to open flow of oil from tank to ram without admitting further airunder pressure to the tank, v I can usefu ly bleed ofi oil underpressure "fromfthe' tank"to actuate .the ram and concurrently economizethe air pressure source.

While the present invention has been described in more or less detailfor purposes of clarity of illustration and example, it is to beunderstood that various changes, modifications, alterations andomissions may be made in the structure herein described within thespirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A valve device for controlling the flow of hydraulic liquid back andforth between a tank and a ram and for controlling the flow ofcompressed gas into and out of the tank, comprising a casing havingpartitions forming chambers for gas and chambers for liquid within thecasing, some of the partitions being horizontal and having openingstherethrough to permit the flow of gas through some of the openings andthe flow of hydraulic liquid through others, valve heads at theundersides of the openings, valve stems passing through the openingscarrying the valve heads and extending above and below the valve heads,hollow guides within which the lower ends of the valve stems areslidable, springs about the guides to urge the valve heads normallyupwardly to closed position, pins extending above the casing and eachhaving a bore forming guides within which the upper ends of the valvestems are slidable, and springs about the pins to urge them upwardly tolessen the pressure required of the first mentioned springs.

2. A valve device for controlling the flow of hydraulic liquid back andforth between a tank and a ram and for controlling the flow ofcompressed gas into and out of the tank comprising, a casing havingpartitions forming chambers for gas and chambers for liquid within thecasing, some of the partitions being horizontal and having openingstherethrough to permit the flow of gas through some of the openings andthe flow of hydraulic liquid through others, valves comprising valveheads at the undersides of the openings, valve stems passing through theopenings carrying the valve heads and extending above and below thevalve heads, hollow guides within which the lower ends of the valvestems are slidable, springs about the guides to urge the valve headsnormally upwardly to closed position, pins extending above the casingand each having a bore forming guides within which the upper ends of thevalve stems are slidable, springs about the pins to urge them upwardlyto lessen the pressure required of the first mentioned springs, acontrol handle, a plurality of actuating arms projecting outwardly fromsaid control handle each overlying a respective pin, said control handlehaving a neutral position whereat none of said pins are operated by saidactuating arms, said control handle movable from said neutral positionto an operative position whereat said actuating arms operate to actuatesaid respective pins and associated valves which control flowofcompressed air from its source to the tank and flow of hydraulicliquid from the tank to the ram, the actuating

